Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-10-06
Thursday, Oct. g, 1887.

TaE Chronicle continues to worry because
two Democrats were elected in Belmont coun-
ty last year, when the Republican State ticket
had 327 majority. The Chronicle roundly
abuses the electors of Belmont county, for not
defeating these men, and charges ''cOrrupting
voters with whisky" and the like as the cause.
How do the Republicans of Richlond and 9TH
er townships who voted for Barrett and Cash
like to swallow the charge that they were cor
rupted with whisky.-Gazette.
The Republican candidate for Clerk
of the Supreme Court had 466 majority
over the Democratic candidate last No
vember. Those figures. doubtless, rep
resent the party majority IN this county,
as there was no scratching of that can
didate, while there was of the candidate
for Secretary of State, who had 327 ma
jority over his Democratic opponent.
Readers of The CHRONICLE will re-
member what was said of this matter
in these columns two weeks ago. We
had in mind the uncalled-for scratching
of the Republican candidates for Clerk
and Auditor last year, as well as the
defeat of MIR. Dewitt Dsrford for Clerk
four years ago by similar methods.
We have abused no one for voting for
Democrats. The franchise is matter
of conscience, and when voters jufg-
ment and conscience lead him TO vote
for candidate other than those upon
his party ticket, no man has any legal
nor moral right to call him to account
for il, much less to abuse him. On the
other hand: Political parties are ergan>
ized for the purpose of carrying forward
TO success ideas and principles. All
men who know anything of government
know this can not be done by putting
in places of public trust and influence
men who are opposed to those ideas.
The more influential the position, the
greater the weapon for harm put into
the hands of the man voted for who is
opposed to the principles advocated by
the voter.
4dh0 lLO CdoC VI SlCA SoOlls Jul
years ago he was clerk in the Probate
Office, without especial political or other
influence. His candidacy for the nomi>
nation at the start was looked upon as a
joke, and his fitness for the place he
sought not conceded by his own party
friends. Yet he was elected, and know
ing ones freely talked of his having
expended very large sum of money to
secure his election. Last year he WAS a
candidate for reelection, and received a
majority of 3S4 votes over his opponent,
in county giving the Republican state
ticket 466 majority, and again there was
talk of the election having cost him
from S2500 to $4,000, and some of bis
checks which passed through certain
banks in the county give strong color to
that phase of the case. He was young,
inexperienced, and not especially quali+
ged for that nor any other public Office,
and there is no good nor honest reason
for the great mass of the Republican
votes given him.
So with the Auditor. Both of these
men were elected by Republican votes,
neither had any advantage over his op>
ponent as far as fitness and character
are concerned; and neither lets any op-
portunity pass to strike the Cause advo-
Gated by the men without whose votes
they would to-day be humble private
citizens, without any influence whatever,
and without plethoric pocket books
with which to corrupt and and debauch
voters.
There were reasons known to the
friends of the Republican candidates
for some of the scratching, bat what
honest reason can be advanced for one
of the Democratic candidates running
S5OVotes ahead of his ticket,and the other
472 votes ahead? Besides, 1t is known
that they made their headquarters
among the saloons of Bellsire and Mar
tins Ferry, when in those places, and
that they expended very large sums of
money in other ways has been asserted,
and not denied.
Looking at it in mere party spirit,
it is discouraging in the highest degree;
but there is broader view which should
be taken of this great public danger.
This government Of ours is founded upon the
suffrage. Corrupt that, and you corrupt the
go0erRnselat itself.